Not Everone can be a Hero
by Fullcircle
Summary: Alternate Title: Epic Fail. Just because you're destined to be great doesn't mean you will be. I wish Irony was a story genre. Not the best formatting, but I hope you find it worth reading. Oneshot. Really just a story idea I thought was vaguely amusing.
1. Chapter 1

"You did it! You opened the door! My god, I almost didn't believe it was possible!" Amazement flooded Amata's features, gratifying Barry ever so slightly. He grinned almost unnoticeably, and responded "When I say I'm going to do something, I do it." "You're right, I never should have doubted you." Amata gushed. This was the sort of praise that Barry loved- from playing in the Vault-Tec Little League to impossibly opening the Vault door, underdog victories were the best. Barry loved praise- he thrived on it, and wherever he went he got it. Whether through sly cheating or true skill, Barry would always come out on top.

"Why don't you come with me?" He asked. Barry had always liked Amata, despite the fact that she came across as a little… well, needy. "It's tempting, but… my place is here. The Vault needs me more than you do. I'm the only one who has a chance to talk some sense into my father." This stung Barry, but Amata continued before he could press the issue. "Listen , if you catch up with your dad, tell him I'm sorry. For, you know, Jonas, and my father, and everything. Goodbye." Barry, still reeling from her rejection of his offer to come with him, finally managed to stutter a reply. "B-but…" At that moment, the door to the room was flung open and two security officers burst into the room. Barry stood, rooted to his spot by indecision and surprise. It took a shout from Amata to break his stupor and send him sprinting through the Vault gate in a mad rush, bullets streaking left and right over his head. He tripped in his haste, cracking his head on the ground. What was it made of? No time to stop and check. He pulled himself from the ground and careened down the rest of the tunnel in a frantic haze, finally regaining his bearings at the end. A rickety wooden door was all that stood between him and freedom…

The door gave way easily under his weight, and his senses were assailed by the harsh Wasteland. Blinded by the sunlight, he threw an arm over his eyes and fell to the ground, blinded. A crash resounded behind him- the Vault was closed to him, perhaps forever. Barry stood and stumbled blindly around until he managed to find a rock to collapse on and regain his senses. After awhile, the adrenaline finally faded from his mind and his eyes slowly adjusted to the blinding light. He looked around himself, cast about for something familiar. There was no sterile steel here, no carefully maintained temperature- only vast expanses of what could only be the stone that he had heard about in Mr. Brotch's classes. The air was filled with dust, far more than he had encountered even in the dirtiest corners of the Vault. He wasn't in Kansas anymore.

As he regained his powers of reasoning, Barry took stock of his situation. It was Amata's rejection that had stunned him like that, he decided. No one had ever told Barry no as long as he remembered- especially not Amata. The girl had simply hero-worshipped him. Yes, that was the problem. The "No" had so surprised him that he couldn't think for a moment. This was the world Barry knew- nothing was ever his fault. Reassured by his reasoning, he stood and scrutinized his surroundings. As far as he could see, there was nothing that looked even remotely dangerous around. This emboldened him, and he struck off in the only direction he could go- away from the Vault. But what was that flash of movement he saw over the ridge? Could it be a person? He stepped forward for a closer look, and-

The explosion could be seen for a few hundred yards, and heard for a mile or two. The people of Megaton paid it no mind- "Just some Raiders blowing each other up, that's a few bullets saved for us..." No one knew the true story behind the explosion- the sound of a land mine wasn't that different from the report of a rocket launcher or a grenade. It was entirely unmemorable, and was forgotten within moments by everyone who heard it. You could say it was unfair- after all, how is someone straight out of the Vault supposed to recognize a landmine? Barry would have agreed with this. He had wanted to be remembered and admired, and the Wasteland had denied him that before he had traveled even a mile.

Ah, well. Not everyone can be a hero.


	2. Author's Random Notes

A few random notes about this story.

Sorry for the crappy formatting, I have not uploaded anything to in awhile and kinda forgot about some of the formatting issues. This story is basically just a little ironic idea that popped into my head- have the Lone Wanderer-to-be pwned the moment he stepped out of the Vault.

Just for fun I attempted to write "Barry" as an uber-arrogant bastard who would be most insulted by his manner of death.

I dunno, it's not great. Hope you enjoyed it.


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